Read a full match report of the rugby union Test between Wales and the
Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on June 2, 2012.

This was a poor and unsurprisingly disjointed match, but, for once, it did not matter. This was all about saying farewell to two legends of the Welsh game, two Williamses, Martyn and Shane, two small men who became giants in the world game.

That they were in opposition meant we could delight in the brightest moment of an otherwise monochrome afternoon. Shane Williams has made a habit of valedictory scores for Wales and the Ospreys, so when, in the 58th minute with the Barbarians trailing 16-14, he stepped off his left foot and sliced through the defence, we expected the inevitable.

But Martyn Williams, the game-reader extraordinaire, was alert to the dangers of his friend the great entertainer and, as Shane passed full back Liam Williams, he first pulled at the winger’s shirt and then took him to the ground. Try saved, with a smile as he got up; reputation maintained right until the end.

Few players can stop a game with their appearance off the bench but when the ginger-haired flanker appeared for his 100th cap after 45 minutes, the stadium rose and every player on both sides, even the referee, applauded warmly. A contrived century? Wales do have 16 players already in Australia preparing for next Saturday’s first of three Tests. Nobody should begrudge Williams his remarkable achievement, only the third Welshman to do so after Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones.

Shane Williams had led the Barbarians out, raising the ball high above his head in his very last game. And for long periods, although personally he was mostly starved of possession, it looked as if he would end on the winning side.

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For the Barbarians had led 14-13 at half-time with tries from Stephen Donald and Richie Rees, but the most enthusiastically-greeted score had come from Wales’ diminutive 19-year-old debutant winger Harry Robinson, who had scorched from halfway after a chap called Shane Williams had turned the ball over on the other side of the field. The king is dead, long live the king! Another pocket battleship had been unearthed.

If it was a day for those like Robinson to advertise their credentials, it was also a day for some light-heartedness. Rees gave an interesting slant to the Barbarians’ tradition of each player wearing his own club’s socks by wearing one of his old Cardiff Blues’ socks and one from his new club Edinburgh.

Then there was the referee. Alain Rolland was booed as soon as his face appeared on the big screen. It will take some time before he is forgiven in these parts for sending Sam Warburton off in last year’s World Cup semi-final. When he sent Rhys Gill to the sin bin just before the break, you’d swear it had been a repeat such was the outrage.

Wales, under pressure at the scrummage throughout, were saved by James Hook, who, despite suffering from a virus during the week, had a fine match, scoring 20 points. His well-taken try with nine minutes to go, coupled with a brilliant touchline conversion, took Wales ahead at 23-21 after Donald’s second try and conversion had given the Barbarians a five-point lead.

Aled Brew finished proceedings with an interception after Cedric Heymans attempted an outrageous flick-on in his own half, but there had been few marginal Welsh players to shine. Only Robinson, the excellent Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb, who kicked expertly late on, did so. Ian Evans and Alun Wyn Jones were excellent, but their prowess had been evident in the Six Nations.

Wales announced the remainder of their tour party last night, with 18 players flying out to Australia tonight. The four players to miss out from Saturday’s 22 are Martyn Williams (obviously), Adam Warren, Dan Biggar and Will Harries.